The LA Clippers and Phoenix Suns have played twice this season and there have been controversial moments that have led to technical errors, glaring mistakes, evacuations and a lot of “chirping”.
After Paul George scored 33 points to help the Clippers win 113-103 against the Staples Center Suns in a game that had a playoff feel, the Clippers All-Star guard remarked to second time this season as the Suns do a lot of “chirping”.
George added this time that he can’t care less about the Suns (36-15).
“We focused on ourselves,” George said when asked about the Suns. “I do not know what that tweet is about. We focused on ourselves. I don’t care what I do there. I don’t care who I am or what I do.
“I’m locked in. They can chirp, I’ll let them have it tonight. I just stayed in my area, I stayed in my place, I don’t know … I don’t care what they are doing. We focused us here. We focused on getting better. Tonight was a fun match and we appreciate the challenge. “
The Clippers (35-18) won their third straight game, eliminating the Suns for the second time this season. And there was again extracurricular activity between the two Western competitors.
Suns All-Star Devin Booker was the first to reach the corner kick, but his header was blocked by the keeper. Clippers keeper Patrick Beverley was sent off in the fourth quarter for a foul while trying to stop Chris Paul from taking off during a break with a forearm thrill that broke his pace. And Marcus Morris Sr. of LA was sent off late in the game after receiving his second technical foul in less than three minutes.
“I have no worries,” Clippers coach Ty Lue said Thursday about disputes between the two teams. “I like it. When you compete at a high level against one of the best teams in the league, do what you do to win. And I thought our boys were physical. We competed, we fought.”
“There will be games like this where it will be weird,” Lue added. “They’re fighting for something, we’re fighting for something, so it’s going to happen and they’re fine with that.”
New Clipper Rajon Rondo said the Suns started back and forth. The veteran had his best game with his new team, with 15 points and nine assists.
“I like to talk a little and they started quite a lot in the first half,” Rondo said. “So other than that, I was just trying to play the game, but sometimes it involves a little bit of talking.”
During Clippers’ 112-107 victory in Phoenix on Jan. 3 in the first game of the season between the two teams, George had 39 points, but also exchanged words with Booker and Paul, leading to technical errors in the fourth quarter between Booker and George.
After that game, George said the sun was talking trash.
“For whatever reason, there’s a lot of chirping,” George said after that game. “And people who live only in the past.”